Jammu Kashmir Gets Rs 3.73 Crore for Police Modernisation as Cyber Crime Cases Rise Nationwide | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has received Rs 3.73 crore from the Centre in the 2025-26 financial year for modernisation of police forces aimed at strengthening cyber crime response and digital forensics, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs informed Parliament on Wednesday.

The figures were shared by Minister of State Bandi Sanjay Kumar in response to a question by MP Tiruchi Siva in the Rajya Sabha on cyber crime reporting, awareness and financial support to States and Union Territories. According to the annexure tabled in the House, Jammu and Kashmir did not receive funds under the scheme in 2024-25 but was allocated Rs 3.73 crore in 2025-26. Ladakh received Rs 0.56 crore in 2024-25 and none in 2025-26.

Kumar told the Upper House that cyber crime cases in the country increased from 65,893 in 2022 to 86,420 in 2023 — a rise of 31.2 per cent — as per the National Crime Records Bureau’s Crime in India 2023 report.

The minister said the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal continues to serve as the central platform for reporting complaints, with a toll-free helpline, 1930, operating for assistance. He added that States and UTs are responsible for investigation and prosecution, while the Centre supplements their capability through advisories and funding support.

To increase awareness among vulnerable groups including women and senior citizens, the ministry has rolled out a series of national outreach activities. These include a caller tune campaign launched in December 2024, SMS messaging, social media campaigns through CyberDost, school programmes, radio and TV publicity, cinema hall advisories, celebrity endorsements, and awareness drives during major events such as Kumbh Mela 2025 and Surajkund Mela 2025. Digital displays at airports and railway stations are also being used for public messaging.

Responding to concerns about preparedness, Kumar said the Centre has released Rs 132.93 crore under the Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children scheme to States and UTs for building cyber forensic-cum-training labs, hiring junior cyber consultants and training law enforcement, prosecutors and judicial officers. Laboratories have been commissioned in 33 States and UTs, and over 24,600 personnel have been trained.

Under the broader police modernisation scheme, States receiving the highest allocations in 2025-26 include Uttar Pradesh (Rs 31.85 crore), Rajasthan (Rs 23.65 crore) and Karnataka (Rs 10.72 crore). The total allocation for States and UTs in 2025-26 stands at Rs 203.88 crore.

The ministry said these measures aim to strengthen reporting systems, improve cyber investigation capability and build a more effective national response to the growing threat of cyber crime.